Gabriel's Salvation: small town, misunderstood MMC, overcoming trauma, first love romance

16. Chapter Sixteen

Idrove Bella home and agreed to have a coffee with her and her grandparents. But the whole time all I”m thinking about is how sad and hurt Riley looked. I knew that her going on a date with someone like Gabe was a bad idea, but I never suspected it would be that bad of an idea. I know Gabe can be an ass and he”s always been a bit of a womanizer, but I also know that deep down he’s a good guy. Isn’t he? But that looked like much more than a bad date. Surely he wouldn”t have physically hurt her… would he?

“I”m really sorry baby, but I”ve got to go. I”ve had a great time and I”ll see you tomorrow,” I say as I lean over, quickly glance around to see if her grandparents are within eyesight, and steal a kiss.

“Oh no! Can”t you stay just a little while longer?” Bella whines as she pouts in that cute way of hers.

“I really can’t, Princess,” I say softly as I brush her beautiful brown locks away from her face, so that I can cup her cheek. But I”ll see you tomorrow, straight from work, and I”ll take us somewhere nice.”

“Fine,” she sulks.

She walks me out to the door and standing up on her toes leans up and gives me another sweet kiss. I tear myself away from her with a moan, my junk aching for me to stay so I force myself to walk to my ride.

I turn and wave goodbye before getting in my car and driving back towards Riley and Harper”s house. As soon as I pull up, I make my way to the door and knock. A few seconds later, Harper answers.

“Oh hey Harper, is Riley here, please?” I say. But she pushes me back and closes the front door behind us both.

“Now, I”ve got no problem with you. And I love Izzy. I think you”re both great together. But I suggest you keep that fucking brother of yours away from my sister; otherwise, there’s gonna be some trouble,” Harper snaps, and I”m shocked. Usually out of the four girls, Harper is the sweetest, calmest, and most laid back, but right now she”s more like a mama bear protecting her cubs.

I sigh, “What happened Harper?”

“Let’s put it this way, he fooled my sister into giving him something special, and then betrayed her.” What the fuck?

“Shit, did he hurt her?” I ask, as I think back to the marks I saw on her face that looked like more than just make up.

“Of course he hurt her, she wasn’t that upset for nothing,” Harper snaps again.

“I mean physically, did he hurt her physically?”” Please say he didn”t. Please.

“No, nothing like that. But I don”t want to see him anywhere near her again. She”s been through enough shit she doesn”t need a jackass like him as well.”

I nod my head in agreement, not sure what else to do or say.

“Oh and Nate, if I ever find out you hurt Bella like this, I won”t think twice about shooting the both of you… I know where daddy keeps his hunting rifle,” she says with an evil smile.

“I can promise you, hand on my heart. I”d give up my life before I ever hurt Bella,” I admit, meaning every single word.

“Good” Harper smiles, a more genuine one this time. “Because I kind of like you. Plus it would be a shame to make both Izzy and Riley help me bury the bodies,” she laughs playfully.

“What about Ava? Wouldn’t she be there too? I joke back.

“Oh yeah Ava would be there too, she’s been our ride or die bestie since freshman year. But she’d be loving every minute of it. She”d be the one holding the matches when the fire trucks showed up.”

“Damn, you women are crazy,” I tease.

“Yep and don”t you forget it.” Harper laughs. “But I mean it, if I see that brother of yours anywhere near Riley again, he’ll be pissing through a straw.”

“Hey Nate, is everything okay?” Riley asks as she opens the door.

“Yep, Izzy just thought she”d left her keys in my handbag, but nope, sorry Nate,” Harper lies.

“No worries. They’re probably in the car somewhere,” I reply as I turn and leave.

I drive home, park the car, and make my way inside. “Gabe,” I shout, but get no answer. “Gabe, are you here?” I shout louder this time but still get no answer. I make my way to the kitchen and see broken bottles on the floor. For fuck”s sake! I pick up the bits I can and then get out the vacuum to clean up the rest. I”m just finishing vacuuming and putting it away when I hear the roar of Gabe’s bike coming down the path.

“What the fuck Gabe?” I shout as I open the door and see him staggering off his motorbike. “Are you drunk?” I shout as he brushes past, not needing to answer since I can smell the liquor on him.

“Leave me alone, I”ve had a shitty night,” he snaps.

“You”ve had a shitty night? What about Riley?” I snap back pushing him.

“What do you fucking know?” he slurs.

“I know I had to rescue her after you abandoned her,” I snap back.

“Wait, she”s okay? She”s safe?” he slurs, sounding almost grateful as he grabs hold of my sweater.

“No thanks to you,” I say, pushing him. Gabe stumbles back, losing his balance and falling into the wall.

“For fuck”s sake Gabe, how much have you had to drink?” I ask, helping him to his feet.

“Get off me,” he slaps my hands away as he steadies himself before storming back outside. Lighting a cigarette he slumps down on the grass.

Heading over to join him I sit down. “What happened tonight, Gabe?” I ask, this time much calmer than before.

“Nothing!” he snaps. “Well something happened because Riley called me crying, begging me to come and save her,” I reply. I mean that”s not exactly true, she called Harper, who just so happened to be with me and Bella. But he doesn”t need to know that yet.

“And why the fuck did she call you?” he slurs. “What gives you the right to rescue my girl?”

“Your girl? Really Gabe? That”s not how you should treat any girl, let alone ‘your’ girl,” I reply, feeling the anger bubbling back up to the surface.

“What would you know? You’re a fucking virgin; you’ve never even had a girl,” Gabe snaps back, voice laced with venom.

“Just because I haven”t had sex with anyone doesn”t mean I don”t know what it means to devote myself to someone.”

“Oh yeah I forgot, Princess fucking Isabella.” I hate the way he says her name like it”s some sort of joke to him.

“Yeah, and I”ve been much more loyal and devoted to her than you could ever be. I”d never make her cry, I”d never hurt her the way you did Riley tonight. Riley’s a good girl, she deserves a good guy…” I say before Gabe interrupts.

“And you don”t think I know that? You don”t think I feel guilty about taking her virginity?” he snaps. “You think I don”t realize that”s supposed to be something special? Everything would have been fine if it wasn”t for that whore, Kelly.”

“Kelly? The girl from the other week. The one we went to dinner with? I thought you said she didn”t mean anything to you? Wasn”t she just a friend?”” I ask, feeling confused wondering where she fits into this whole thing.

“Friends isn’t really the word I”d use,” he admits. “More like an easy lay I call when I’m horny and desperate.” He must see my face screw up in disgust because he adds, “It works for us both. Neither of us cares for the other - we fuck each other, and we fuck other people. It works.”

“If you say so,” I shrug, not really wanting to hear anymore.

“How was I supposed to know she’d go and tell Riley?” Gabe questions.

“Tell Riley what?” I ask, feeling more confused by the minute.

“That I fucked her and her friend just last night,” he says matter of factly.

“Wait, you had sex with Kelly? And her friend? Both of them? Last Night? Then you went on a date and slept with Riley tonight?” I gasp.

“Yes, fucking hell Nate, keep up,” he huffs, rolling his eyes at me like I’m the problem. “Me and Kelly are… friends with benefits shall we say. We meet up for sex when we feel like it. Last night she invited me out and we went back to her place for a threesome…”

“You”re disgusting!” I spit, feeling genuinely disgusted to be his brother at this moment.

“Oh grow the fuck up Nate. As I was saying, I had fun with Kelly and her friend last night. Came home. Then I met Riley, although I thought her name was Stacey at that point, I assumed it would be just sex again but it kind of evolved.

“Evolved?” I ask, confused by his sudden vagueness.

“I don”t fucking know what you call it. We met up, had fun, talked, shared shit, laughed…”

“So you went on a date,” I clarify.

“Whatever, we went on a date.” Gabe rolls his eyes, using air quotes like the word ‘date’ is completely made up.

“Yeah, then we fucked. Well we didn’t really fuck, well I guess we technically did. But we didn’t just fuck I guess…” Gabe mumbles as he takes out another cigarette and begins smoking it. “...Yeah, we did that, then I tried to be nice to her - like care for her and shit.”

“Gabe, how many people have you slept with?” I question, not really wanting to know the answer. But wanting to confirm my suspicion.

“What like this week or this year?” he asks, sounding confused.

“Okay, how about this, how many people have you dated?” I ask, taking a deep breath.

“Dated? None. I don”t date,” Gabe says incredulously.

“Gabe, ”” I say quietly. ”You met up with her and spent the whole evening chatting, laughing, and getting to know each other. Then you had sex. And don”t even try to lie and tell me she”s not the girl I”ve heard you talking to late at night. Tonight was definitely a date.”

“Wait, did she think that?” Gabe gasps as if the idea had never even occurred to him.

“Gabe, she came all the way to meet you from work. You did everything else we spoke about. And then had sex. She one hundred percent thought it was a date.” I say, giving him a playful push. How can he be this clueless?

“Is that why she let me, you know?... She”s a virgin like you, well, I guess she was before tonight,” he laughs while shaking his head in disbelief.

“Gabe, I”m not talking about that with you. She”s my friend. Plus it”s just no,”” I say, shuddering. When the fuck did I become the big brother in this family?

“Fine then, would YOU sleep with someone? Just a random person you weren”t dating?” he asks, eyeing me up.

“No,” I say, shaking my head. “And neither would most people.”

“Ooh,” he says, taking out his phone. “Should I call her? Or text maybe?”

“Maybe a text would be better since you”re slurring your words,” I suggest while rolling my eyes. “But be nice, Gabe. Riley’s a good girl and she doesn”t deserve to be hurt.” I gently remind him.

I watch him text then obviously delete and start again. “Arrgg! I don”t know what to write,” he says finally.

“Just keep it short, apologize and explain,” I suggest.

“Fine, but I need to piss first.”

He heads inside, coming out a few minutes later with two opened beers.

“Here,” he says, offering one to me while taking a sip from the other.

“I don”t drink, remember.”

“Oh shit, yeah. Weird. More for me then.”

He goes back to messaging while he drinks his beers. I text back and forth with Bella a few times, making arrangements for our date tomorrow. I”m interrupted by Gabe tapping me on the shoulder. “How”s this?” he says, thrusting his phone into my face.

“Let”s see,” I say, taking it from him to read.

-To Riley, Sorry I took your virginity then made you cry. Sorry I made you cum in the same bathroom I”ve made hundreds of girls cum before, but none of them meant anything. Kelly is just a whore I let suck my dick sometimes when I”m bored. She”s a bitch; forget her. Let”s meet up soon- Gabe.

I can”t believe my eyes. Swinging out my hand, I attempt to punch him in the legs but instead I hit him right in the balls.

“You bastard!” he cries out as he drops down clutching his nuts. “What was that for?”

“Please, for the love of fucking Satan, tell me you didn’t actually send that?!”” I snap.

“No,” he coughs. “I wanted to get you to read it first, why what”s wrong with it?” Gabe looks over at me with confusion written all over his face.

“What”s wrong with it? What”s wrong with it, Gabe? Fucking everything!”” I say as I throw the phone at him and walk away. “She”s better off without you if you honestly think that”s acceptable,” I huff, throwing my hands in the air.

“Nate, wait. Wait!” he says as he runs over to me still clutching his balls.

“Help me. I think she might be special…. Well not special but different,” he fumbles, clearly embarrassed and seemingly out of his element.

“Special or different? Which one is it?” I say turning to look at what I can only describe as a puppy in the pound sort of look.

“I don”t know,” he admits, looking down at the floor. “But I want more than just sex . . . I think,” he mumbles softly as he kicks up dirt.

“Fine,” I say, snatching the phone out of his hand.

“So you”ll help me?” he says, sounding unusually hopeful.

“No…” I see his face drop. “...but I will help her. She deserves some sort of apology for tonight. You, you need to decide what the fuck you want and how the fuck to earn back her trust.”

–Hey Riley, I”m beyond sorry for tonight. You don”t deserve anything that happened. I know I hurt you and for that I”m beyond sorry. But I want you to know that what happened meant something to me. You mean something to me. I”m so sorry for what Kelly said to you. I”d like to say it”s a lie, but unfortunately then I”d be lying too. I know I don”t deserve your forgiveness but I’m going to try and earn it anyway. -Gabe

“Here,” I snap as I thrust the phone back into his hand before heading into my room and closing the door.